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This annual scheme for Academic-Related and Support Staff in grades 1-10, allows the University to recognise staff contributions to the work of RDM and the wider University, and to reward exceptional individual contributions. The scheme has two elements:

an annual gathered field review, the ‘Awards for Excellence Scheme’, at departmental level, awarding incremental payments (a non-pensionable lump sum to the value of one increment, or a pensionable advancement to the next point on the incremental scale); AND

a ‘Recognition Scheme’, under which smaller, more timely awards (£200 before tax in all cases) can be made at departmental level to recognise ‘one-off’, outstanding contributions at any time of the year.

Awards for Excellence Scheme

The purpose of the Awards for Excellence Scheme is to recognise staff contributions to the work of RDM and the wider University and to reward exceptional individual contributions. For the sake of parity, transparency and ease of monitoring, there is no provision for making performance-related incremental payments to staff outside the annual merit exercise.

The scheme recognises contributions over and above your normal responsibilities and rewards employees who have performed well in all the key areas of their jobs, and have consistently demonstrated exceptional performance, significantly above that which might reasonably have been expected for their grade.

RDM has many excellent and dedicated staff, and funding for the scheme is limited. Hence the criteria for the scheme are designed to recognise those staff who are making an outstanding and truly exceptional contribution.

The scheme is not used to reward the working of long hours. Should you be regularly required to work long hours and your role and responsibilities have grown such that you are required to work ‘above’ your grade, a regrading application, a temporary acting-up allowance or a restructuring of the role should be considered.

How to submit an application

All staff will be notified when the scheme is open for nominations, and the process that will be followed. Nominations for awards will be made primarily by line managers, who will be asked to review all eligible staff under their supervision. Individuals who believe they deserve an award should discuss this in the first instance with their line manager. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached you may nominate yourself for an award. Self-nomination forms contain a mandatory field for the manager’s comments and the individual should allow reasonable time for their manager to comment before the submission deadline.

Decision making

Nominations for the Awards for Excellence Scheme are decided by small panels of representatives in each of the RDM Divisions, and the WIMM. In addition, the Head of Administration and Finance attends all meetings to ensure consistency across RDM. Summary results will be available on the website and through the Quarterly Newsletter.

Recognition Scheme

The Recognition Scheme allows smaller, more timely awards (£200 before tax in all cases) to be made at departmental level to recognise ‘one-off’, outstanding contributions at any time of the year. If you wish to nominate a member of your team for a Recognition award please complete the nomination form and send it to your local HR team.